Following the severe blow to tourism of tens of percent decline and cancellations into early 2015, the Tourism Ministry is not waiting for the government decision related to compensation formats for the industry. Rather, the ministry has doubled the size of the marketing fund to 10 million shekels through to the end of 2014.

In a letter sent on Sunday 19 Elul by the Tourism Ministry Director-General Amir Halevi to the chairman of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association Shmuel Marom, Halevi wrote: “In the light of Operation Protective Edge and its impact on the tourism industry, the Tourism Ministry intends to take a number of immediate measures in order to create a higher degree of certainty for you, the incoming tour operators, related to the anticipated government assistance in order to increase activities in the field for your members.”

The letter also stated that in order not to delay matters and alongside procedures related to compensation formats and assistance, “It is our intention to act immediately on an internal decision that does not require the approval of the Finance Ministry, within the existing frameworks:

· Doubling the international marketing fund for Israel from 5 to 10 million NIS through the end of 2014.

· Allocating 10 million IS for the marketing fund for 2014-2015

· Reduction of 25% for tourism industry representatives in the cost of participating in the Israel Tourism Ministry stand at tourism exhibitions during the winter season 2014-2015

In his letter to Marom, Halevi noted that “in keeping with the developments in the field and the industry needs, we will investigate additional tools, as well as possible changes and adaptations to existing ones, in order to assist as much as we can. I believe that these immediate measures will help incoming tour operators deal with the crisis, reduce the levels of uncertainty and facilitate increased marketing activity that will, at the end of the day, lead to a recovery in the numbers of incoming tourists after Operation Protective Edge and a swift return to record tourism numbers.”

Tourism Minister Dr. Uzi Landau stated, “Given the statistics showing a decrease in incoming tourism, we decided to take a number of measures, of which the main one is to invest in the marketing budget in an understanding that marketing tools contribute significantly to an increase in incoming tourism.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)